I'm sorry but I think decoenthusiaste is right, you need to do a total revamp, furnishings and paint and accessories. And we would need more pictures from different angles to help you better.

I like your wood ceiling. Maybe paint the walls first and then determine if it was the walls or the ceiling which you needed to change. Couple other ideas:
1. Your table and chairs look very heavy; would you consider painting them to lighten things up?
2. There are a lot of things in the dining room--can you move some of the storage units out, and if not, maybe put them on the same wall to form one unit. I'd like to see those painted too--just to cut down on the variety of wood in the room.
3. With tile in both living room and dining area, makes we wonder if you live in the south? That may help you decide on colors.

As for your original questions, I don't know a thing about brick and fireplaces, but I can say that I really like this one.

You need to declutter. Remove the red drape. Paint both rooms the same color. Soft beige with white trim. Or a taupe or soft green. Take everything off the fp mantle. Make it very simple. The one picture a bit lower. Two candlesticks on one side, three on the other. Remove everything on top and below,the tv. Get rid of the plant, the clock. Find a color and an area rug over the tile. Your leather chair looks like teal blue so you can start with that color or if it is grey then you go with grey in both rooms . The dining room needs to be decluttered. One picture on the wall and nothing else. Get rid of the red drapes and runner on the table and at least one bookcase. Soft white sheers on the windows. Paint the fp if you are inclined to do so. Maybe go with beige and gray as colors due to the grey chair. The green walls are too green. The wood ceiling is nice. You need to look at different ideas of fireplaces. Tile around the opening with a wod mantle built around it? First, just declutter and put white sheers for window treatments. I see a beige and white theme throughout.

Hi Glenda -- After a gentle edit, your space will benefit from one strong focal point that you faithfully let lead you in your choices. As an example, I chose this print of an African Grey Parrot (yup, I noticed!)

Now everything else comes from the colors in that print. The grey stone fireplace has a rough wood mantle much like the branch in the print. The green curtains balance your other room, and that sweet coral red from the tail should only pop up here and there.

Your dear bird inspired me, I'd take your cues from him. (Or her?)

I agree with everyone above. Figure out your budget for each room, maybe sell some items on craigslist. I do like the art about the fireplace, but it does need a frame. I would also recommend painting the walls a neutral color and clearing everything out. You may want to paint the brick of the fireplace white and add a dark mantel to create a focal point.

The link shows brick painted white and brought up to the ceiling with the TV above the mantel. It also shows some neutral wall colors.

This one looks nice, but shouldn't they move the tv somewhere else? You will have a glare in your eyes from this window if it is on the east of the house.

Yes, buy a flatscreen and put it over the fireplace. Paint the fireplace white, the rest of the walls in a neutral tone or bring the color of the kitchen into the living room. Declutter. Don't put your furniture at an angle against the walls - it always makes rooms smaller. Buy a rug and put it in the living room underneath the couch and create a conversation area to make it more cozy.

I agree with bumping fireplace out and creating a floor to ceiling look.

...hi again Glenda -- I was in a rush before, but wanted to get back to your other room. Here I've put your two units together -- doesn't matter exactly where but it frees up more wall space and makes them more impactful to read as one. I've turned your red table runner sideways and left just the candelabra and found one large print incorporating the red and your other colors to give your space cohesion through hue. I also found two feather rugs and a parrot chandelier, again, so inspired by your little friend. Good luck with the fireplace, and let us know what you decide and how it turns out!

I appreciate all the comments and realize the need to de-clutter the place. I do live in the south, namely South Africa, hence the floor tiles and having pets (besides my parrot, Jasper) makes life a lot easier to keep clean and fur free. To Barnhartgallery, I love your comments and suggestions and will post the 'new look' once the house is completed. Renovations are starting on the outside today. By the way, the dining room has a door on the right side of the pic and another window opposite the one shown, the other window will be replaced with a sliding door and a deck will be made outside to link up with the main deck which leads off the living room. See pic below where the sliding door a deck will be

barnhartgallery, wow it's amazing how just a picture and change of drapes coordinated the two rooms without any other changes being made. I should post a picture of my place and let you figure that out for me!

I would do the fireplace in a wide similar to the beautiful ceiling. Surround the lip with stone tile. I just removed all my rock and replaced with a flat board and stained it. Look beautiful compared to ugly pink rock I had. Why not pull in the colors of nature with a neutral wall to keep it bright. You can then play with fabric, accessories and such to add color to the rooms.

Your outside looks beautiful! Wow, South Africa. I still would remove the red drapes. Too harsh. Love using the parrot as the theme. I can't suggest a drape color because not sure of your theme but the red seems to be the main focus which I don't think it should be. Love to see the end result!

Posting more pics as requested to get a better idea of the various angles, the kitchen was revamped a number of years ago and as one can see - it flows around the living room area and through to the dining room, ok folks, the curtains/drapes in the dining room are definitely going and the living room furniture is black, not blue/gray.